What Does it Take to Be an Inspector, Tester, Sorter, Sampler, or Weigher?

Job Description & Duties Inspect, test, sort, sample, or weigh nonagricultural raw materials or processed, machined, fabricated, or assembled parts or products for defects, wear, and deviations from specifications. May use precision measuring instruments and complex test equipment.

Life as an Inspector, Tester, Sorter, Sampler, or Weigher: What Do They Do?

• Disassemble defective parts or components, such as inaccurate or worn gauges or measuring instruments.
• Compute defect percentages or averages, using formulas and calculators.
• Clean, maintain, calibrate, or repair measuring instruments or test equipment, such as dial indicators, fixed gauges, or height gauges.
• Grade, classify, or sort products according to sizes, weights, colors, or other specifications.
• Compute usable amounts of items in shipments.
• Fabricate, install, position, or connect components, parts, finished products, or instruments for testing or operational purposes.

Skills Needed to be an Inspector, Tester, Sorter, Sampler, or Weigher

Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Related Job Titles

• Cork Compounder
• Motorcycle Tester
• Motors and Controls Tester
• Production Grader
• Sample Tester

Inspector, Tester, Sorter, Sampler, or Weigher Job Outlook

There were about 520,700 jobs for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers in 2016 (in the United States).

Inspector, Tester, Sorter, Sampler, or Weigher jobs are decreasing by a rate of -10.7%. This means the total job opportunities are shrinking. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a loss of -55,500 jobs for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers by 2026. The BLS estimates 52,700 yearly job openings in this field per year.

The states with the most job growth for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers are Texas, Nevada, and Utah.

Watch out if you plan on working in California, Ohio, or Michigan. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Salary for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers

The average yearly salary of an Inspector, Tester, Sorter, Sampler, or Weigher ranges between $23,550 and $65,510. The median salary for this occupation is $38,250.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for jobs of this type in different U.S. states.

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
Alaska	$71,510
District of Columbia	$60,460
Washington	$59,310
New Mexico	$54,690
North Dakota	$52,620
Wyoming	$51,380
Connecticut	$51,260
Louisiana	$50,670
Maryland	$48,650
Montana	$48,630
Colorado	$46,880
Massachusetts	$46,510
Maine	$46,140
Vermont	$45,840
West Virginia	$45,630
California	$45,120
Oklahoma	$45,060
Kansas	$44,850
Rhode Island	$44,660
New Hampshire	$44,020
Oregon	$43,540
Missouri	$42,860
New Jersey	$42,770
New York	$42,580
Texas	$42,500
Iowa	$42,490
Minnesota	$42,470
Pennsylvania	$41,850
Nebraska	$41,820
Illinois	$41,610
Ohio	$41,510
Virginia	$41,500
Delaware	$41,030
Wisconsin	$40,750
Arizona	$40,680
Florida	$40,250
Nevada	$39,850
Indiana	$39,580
Kentucky	$39,510
Utah	$39,450
South Carolina	$39,110
Georgia	$37,880
Idaho	$37,410
Tennessee	$37,380
North Carolina	$37,370
Hawaii	$36,960
Michigan	$36,550
South Dakota	$36,250
Mississippi	$35,850
Alabama	$34,960
Arkansas	$33,900

What Tools do Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers:

• Microsoft SharePoint
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Outlook
• Computer assisted design software
• Microsoft Access
• Atlassian JIRA
• Extensible markup language XML
• Data entry software
• R

How to Become an Inspector, Tester, Sorter, Sampler, or Weigher

Learn what Inspector, Tester, Sorter, Sampler, or Weigher education requirements there are.

How Long Does it Take to Become Inspector, Tester, Sorter, Sampler, or Weigher?

Who Employs Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers?

Other Jobs You May be Interested In

Are you already one of the many Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:

• Electromechanical Equipment Assemblers
• Upholsterers

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons